6. Archaeological Finds

Seven Compelling Evidences

Archaeologists once boasted that the Bible was full of errors because no
independent, historic evidence had been found to confirm the Bible’s claims. But a slew of
astounding discoveries has put a damper on their boasting.

Archaeology provides us with fascinating and amazing affirmations of Scripture’s
accuracy and trustworthiness. Indeed, it is one of the most effective ways to
open a conversation with your friends about the Bible.

After two hundred years of archaeological excavation and discovery, we have
a powerful arsenal of important finds that will leave the most adamant skeptics
of the Bible pondering! As you talk to people about these discoveries, help
them to clear away their doubts and the lies they have heard—and maybe even
come to believe—about the Bible.

Here are a series of astounding discoveries that you can share with those who
question the Bible’s veracity. This list covers approximately one thousand years
of biblical history from the time of King David down to the time of Jesus. As
you read this list, note how the accounts of so many key events and people of
the Bible are confirmed by these amazing archaeological finds. It would be well
worth your time to study and memorize these important findings.

The Tel Dan Stele (900–850 BC)

A stele is an upright stone that is inscribed and used as a monument of an
important event or achievement. Rulers and peoples from Egypt, Israel, and across
Mesopotamia used these steles to commemorate great victories and accomplishments.
This particular stele is extraordinary because carved on its stone face is the
expression, “House of David.” This stele affirms that the United Monarchy under
King David existed in history and flatly contradicts the long-held opinions
of skeptics who denied that David ever existed.

The Meesha Stele (846 BC)

Popularly known as the Moabite Stone, it records the revolt of Meesha, King
of Moab, against Israel. This incredible stele mentions Omri, King of Israel,
and David of the United Monarchy. It even refers to Yahweh, the unique name
of the God of Israel! Together with the testimony from the Tel Dan Stele, we
have a powerful external witness that the Bible records the true history of
the kings of Israel and their interactions with foreign kings.

BiblePlaces.com/Musée du Louvre, Paris, France

The Nabonidus Cylinder (550 BC)

King Nabonidus of Babylonia left a magnificent cuneiform cylinder (wedge-shaped
letters inscribed on a clay cylinder) mentioning his elder son, Belshazzar by
name. Critics of the Bible had claimed for many years that the account in the
book of Daniel was wrong; they said Belshazzar was never a king in Babylon and
that Nabonidus was not his father. The discovery of this cylinder clearly showed
that these scholars were dead wrong. Indeed, we can now understand the meaning
of Daniel 5:16 more precisely where it says, “Now if you can read the writing
and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and
have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the
kingdom” (italics added for emphasis).

This text now makes perfect sense because Nabonidus was in a coregency with
his son Belshazzar, who was the crown prince of Babylon. So that would make
Daniel the “third ruler in the kingdom.”

Caiaphas Ossuary

An ossuary was a box constructed to hold the bones of the dead after decomposition.
In 1990 a startling discovery was made that shook biblical scholars and archaeologists
alike. In the Peace Forest section of Jerusalem was discovered a burial cave
containing twelve ossuaries, one of them being none other than that of Caiaphas,
the high priest who presided at the trial of Jesus. This amazing discovery provides
us with a powerful historical connection to the events described in the Gospels.

Pilate Dedication Stone

In June 1961 an inscription on a limestone block, found at a Roman amphitheater
in Caesarea Maritima, rocked the scholarly world. The block, which was once
used as a dedication stone of a nearby temple and now reused for seating at
the local amphitheater, had an extraordinary inscription. It read: “Tiberieum,
(Pon)tius Pilatus, (Praef)ectus Iuda(eae).” Those scholars who questioned Pilate’s
existence (and the gospel accounts generally) were silenced with this amazing
discovery!

Many more archaeological discoveries wait to be uncovered and shared with your
friends. If someone raises a question about some biblical claim that has not
been independently verified, you can share some of these examples to show that
“silence” is not evidence against Scripture.

I also hope that this brief list will inspire you to dig deeper and use archaeology
as a powerful tool in contending for the Word of God and the faith that has
been entrusted to us!

Scott Lanser is director at Associates for Biblical Research, a ministry whose purpose is to inform the public on the latest archaeological finds along with each discovery’s biblical perspective. He is also the senior pastor of New Hope Bible Fellowship.

Answers Magazine

April – June 2011

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